1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatuses and methods for performing reverse reproduction on tune data by reverse-direction addressing (or reverse addressing). This invention also relates to recording media storing programs for reverse reproduction of tune data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, engineers propose automatic performance apparatuses that perform reverse reproduction on tune data to produce reverse reproduction sounds or quick reverse sounds, an example of which is disclosed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 62-175796 (which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,413). In reverse reproduction of the tune data, the apparatus starts generation of sound in response to note-off data being read out, then, the apparatus starts muting of sound in response to note-on data being read out, wherein the note-on data and note-off data are originally recorded for normal reproduction of sound of the tune data.
Namely, the conventional apparatuses employ the aforementioned method of the reverse reproduction in which the generation of the sound is started when the note-off data is read out, then, the muting of the sound is started when the note-on data is read out. This method suffers from a problem in that in high-speed reverse reproduction (or quick reverse), a duration between a timing to start generation of the sound and a timing to start muting of the sound becomes too short.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method for reproduction of tune data in which even in high-speed reverse addressing to designate constituent notes of the tune data in a reverse direction reverse to a normal direction corresponding to progression of musical performance at a high speed, reverse reproduction can be adequately performed on the tune data to produce reverse reproduction sounds without causing excessive reduction in sound duration between generation start timings and mute start timings in connection with the constituent notes of the tune data.
A tune data reproduction system of this invention is designed to operate differently in a reproduction mode and a quick reverse mode (or reverse reproduction mode) by using tune data and quick reverse sound data. Herein, the tune data represent progression of notes of musical performance and are constructed by at least note-on information and note-off information with respect to each of the notes. The quick reverse sound data represent repetition of a prescribed sound indicating a quick reverse operation. Or, the quick reverse sound data are made based on the tune data to represent the notes which are reversely arranged in a reverse direction being reverse to progression of the musical performance. In the reproduction mode, the system performs reproduction on the tune data to produce musical tones of the notes at a desired tempo in accordance with the progression of the musical performance. Herein, the system starts generation and muting with respect to each of the notes in response to the note-on information and note-off information being respectively read from the tune data. In the quick reverse mode, the system produces the quick reverse sound based on the quick reverse sound data, or the system performs high-speed reverse reproduction on the tune data to reversely produce the musical tones in the reverse direction at a high speed. In order to prevent sound duration from becoming excessively short in the quick reverse mode, each of the musical tones is generated in response to note-off information being read from the tune data, then, it is muted after a lapse of a prescribed time (e.g., 100 ms). This allows a user of the system to clearly recognize passage of the quick reverse operation. Thus, the user is able to certainly listen to the musical tones being reversely reproduced and is capable of tracing back the tune data in the reverse direction at a high speed.
Specifically, in the reverse reproduction mode, the system performs reverse addressing on the tune data in the reverse direction in parallel with creation of the reverse reproduction sounds. This allows the user to easily search the tune data in the reverse direction. In addition, the tune data and quick reverse sound data (or reverse reproduction sound data) are constructed by prescribed waveform data or sequence data containing plenty of note events. As those data, it is possible to use any types of sound data other than MIDI data, for example. Further, the quick reverse sound data are produced by xe2x80x9cloopingxe2x80x9d for repeatedly reading a part or an entire part of sound data. Hence, it is possible to produce the quick reverse sound suited to the quick reverse mode by using a relatively small amount of sound data.